From an original and unique inner-city soundtrack sprung and brewed from the UK in the early ’90s. Throwing in as ingredients influences such as hip-hop, reggae, underground Detroit techno, rare grooves and more. The Jungle or Drum’n’Bass took birth and began all the way from there. Since its appearance on the scene, the genre has infiltrated and impacted various other ends of electronic music; with its signature sound effects and breakbeats.

First off, the genre names can be attributed to evolution over time. Jungle is said to source from Breakbeat, and in turn Drum n Bass sourced from Jungle. Jungle and Drum ‘n’ Bass (DnB) are also said to be the same but again has a fine technical line (in terms of music speed) that differs them. You’ll have to be listening to soo many of them to be able to actually differentiate. So until, Jungle / DnB would be a right fit.

For early millennials, Jungle / DnB can be related to Goldie, a pioneer of the genre and who described the latter as ”the bastard child” of electronic music. He released ‘Terminator‘ in 1992, and as per those who tell the tale, this one track revolutionised and deeply impacted the genre and rave scene of UK.

For late millennials, this can be attributed to Sacha Baron Cohen, or very more specifically, Ali G In Da House precisely driving his car on a morning in a cosy residential area of the UK, flipping and taunting old people and children, while banging on the majestic lines of “Jungle is Massive“.
Ain’t familiar? It’s about General Levy’s wicked tune ‘Incredible’, released in 1999.

On its own terms, rules and tempo, the genre has made its way into music releases up to today. How? Well this is because we just can’t get over this sound.

Here’s 7 releases currently on our playlist, using the sound signatures of Jungle / DnB, whether its direct or passively interpreted and making an imperial use of it.

1 _ Tessela : Hackney Parrot – Special Request Re-edit

Without any refrain, this tune is mental. Hard to come across a track that packs a punch harder than this one, when it comes to jungle and the bass involved here. Disclaimer:: this track works much better with a sound system or headphones.

Paul Woolford a.k.a Special Request tapped into full throttle on his 2013 debut album. Woolford jabs into the raw energy of techno, bleep house and proto-junglist influences to give light to his ‘Soul Music’. With Special Request’s touch on Hackney Parrot, the track can’t shake the effect of a deliriously heavy impact, with violent assaults and staggering basslines.

The track’s drum breaks are sampled from Lyn Collins’ Think; where it is cut, edited and implemented into a blooming echo that spans the whole 7mins. En suite, a clever move from Woolford in regards to the powerful monicker, is that the ragga-styled vocals are taken from the first words uttered on Top Cat’s ‘Request The Style‘. This remix comes also from a House influence, and that can be heard from a sample rework of Kathy Brown’s ‘Turn Me Out‘. There are surely more elements that are present in this dope track and those are still to be found out.

2 _ Lone : Pulsar

Written and produced by Matt Cutler, alias Lone, and cut off from the 2018 album Ambivert Tools Volume Four; Pulsar is an emotive work that draws inspiration from UK’s club and techno culture.

Starting off with a clean-cut bassline, with echoing snares, it wondrously introduces the graceful melody that’ll be making its home along the track. The spaces in between the melody are then filled with a note-variating synthesizer until the breakbeat / slow-jungled beat comes in . Gravity shifts in Pulsar as from this 01:46 bar, yet by keeping a light-headed pace.

3 _ Aera : Prana

The brain behind the label Applied Magic, and with his own releases out on record houses of the likes as Innvervisions, Maeve, Hivern Discs and Permanent Vacation; Berlin-based DJ and Producer Ralf Schmidt, under the monicker of Aera, released the fabulous Prana EP in 2020.

As his second release on Innervisions since Running Hot EP in 2016, and as some of Schmidt other releases, he gives out mainly techno influences through his work and doesn’t possess much of a jungle stance. Yet, this latest EP is mentioned to span across six sonically different “yet interconnected micro-worlds”

The title track Prana is a perfect example and a real banger tune. It contains the techno atmosphere as well, nonetheless, unlike its sibling tracks on the EP, it propels right off with a jungle variation. It’s much slower and composed, and this deceleration gives space for the junglist beat to assert itself.

4_ Baauer – HOME + Virgil Abloh – Delicate Limbs
[ Special Request RMX ]

Out on Baauer’s 2020 full-length album Planet’s Mad (Globe’s Crazy), with collaboration alongside Hudson Mohawke, the dreamy and tranquil track HOME was translated into utter grooviness and dance-floor material by Special Request.

The main melody from the original version was re-interpreted into acoustic with the touch of Eli Teplin’s, on the keys. To say the least on this, Paul Woolford turns gems into gold; and this remix is far from being an exception to that statement. Through the Breakbeat/Jungle techniques and respect, Special Request brings an electric movement and triumph back home.

As an essential mention for 2021’s release, is Special Request’s remix for Virgil Abloh’s Delicate Limbs.

This tune weighs heavier the more you get into it. In terms of speed and impactful chords in play, Woolford is undeniably in possession of a winning formula and the genre’s producer that is making the most ripples through his releases and reworks.

5_ Submerse – Psych

One of our favourites from Project Mooncircle struck with the amazing record Get You Down in 2020. After his previous stunning albums and EPs Algorithms and Ghosts (2013), Tears (2012) and Slow Waves (2014), Submerse seems now to be going back to his roots and making lush music again!

Similarly, as Valentine’s Day, this album is not to be taken too seriously. It has been advised by the artist himself to let those tunes bump while playing Slam City with Scottie Pippen ( awesum game lol ) and chill. Also if you purchase the Vinyl issue, and you’re in Tokyo, you get to duel Submerse to a Street Fighter III challenge, in an arcade. No shit.

6_ Jacques Greene – Serenity

Launched into music production when introduced to “Aphex Twin” by his high school history teacher, Philippe Aubin-Dionne a.k.a Jacques Greene gives us a masterpiece on his most collaborative album up to date; Dawn Chorus.

The album features Brian Reitzell on additional production and instrumentations. Reitzell was the film composer for 2003’s hollywood hit, Lost in Translation.
With the vivid presence of breakbeat, the track Serenity has a very particular mood of an unending ‘intensity’ with its continuous and nearly staggering chords. The amazing fact is that these notes are sustained on a scope of noise-like dimension, yet it is so very peaceful.

To have an imagery of this track, try imagining this;
You’re way into your morning exercise, high-paced, your headphones on with this tune at the loudest volume, and dawn is breaking.

7_ David Spinelli : The Promise

From the very promising record label Circa’99, they unveil to the world after 3 years and various releases, the first compilation made out of their 13 most triumphant tracks. The label was founded by Thibaud Noyer a.k.a. Boston Bun, with previous releases out on Ed Banger records.

Among those, is David Spinelli’s terrific single. “The Promise” is Spinelli’s debut work and the sonority is nothing less of refined and sharpened. Starts off with the beat structure and is subtly accompanied with a synth aural background, before the choral vocals come in that will intermittently endure during the track. Spinelli drops the bassline that makes it clear we’re now dealing with house, and also throws in intricate chords; all while keeping this initial aural atmosphere.

That’s about it for now! but be sure to check our ‘Gentle Recommendations‘ page as we are posting more music daily, on the spectrum of Jungle / Breakbeat but also other various lush genres as well!